Packless steam valve



Aug. 17,v 1937. M. GRooMEs A PACKLESS STEAM VALVE' Filed Aug'. s, 1936 ATTORN ES Patented Aug. 17, 1937 2,090,196 rAcKLEss s'rEAMvALvE Harry M. Groomes, Whitmore Lake, Mich., as-

signor to Rosa K. Mich.

Application August Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel steam, liquid or air valve, and the principal object is to provide a device of this character which requires no packing. This type of valve is particuo larly useful in clothes pressing machines or air controlled machines where small quantities vof steam or air are required at intervals.

According to the invention, the fluid supply pipe has a valve seat at the open end thereof, and in line with the pipe is a valve stem carrying a head adapted to close upon the seat under the action of a spring. The valve stem passes through a rocker member and has an abutment bearing upon this member in such a mannerthat movement of the rocker in either direction lifts the valve stem away from the valve seatY and thus opens the fluid pipe. On release of the rocker, the valve is closed by the action of the spring which was previously compressed.

The rocker has two bearings in a housing, and one of the bearings is entirely sealed oi by a plug. At the otherbearing, a portion of the rocker must necessarily extend through the housing in order to carry the operating arm. The latter bearing is sealed by a gasket which is normally compressed by a spring at the. opposite end of the rocker.

The invention further embodies a spring de- Vice` for rapidly returning the rocker member to its normal. position after it has been moved by the operating arm and the arm released. The spring device is made adjustable to compensate for wear between the rocker and the parts of the valve structure frictionally engaged thereby.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device;

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a steam head or chamber I of the type used for example in clothes pressing machines. The bottom of the head is perforated at 2 to permit flow of steam to the garment which is being pressed.

A pipe 3 extends into the head ,and is connected within the head toa steam supply pipe 4 which delivers steam to the pipe 3 from any suitable source, Another pipe 5 is secured with- Groomes, W

hitmore Lake,

3, 1936, Serial N0. 94,032

in rthe pipe 3 in spaced relation to form a concentric annular to the pipe 4 by a ring plug 1. Y

5 is formed with a valve'seat 8, and

of the pipe the pipe 3 has if the valve se iiow from the pipe passage 6 which however is closed 'Ihe upper end ports at `8 9 within the head I. Thus, is unobstructed, steam willl 4 upwardly through the pipe 5 and through the ports 9 to the head I and apertures 2.

A valve hou sing I0 of generally cylindrical formation is secured on the vupper end of the pipe 3 by mean ber is rotatably mounted a rocker member having a slot l s of a coupling II. 4In this mem- 3 cut therethrough,` as shown in Fig. 3, for a purpose, which will presently be described. One end of larged at I4 and journalled'in one end ofthe member formed withv a I0, while the other end of the rocker is stem I5 journalled in a plug I6 screwed into the remaining end of the body I0 and compressing a gasket I1 against the body of the member I2.

In the enlarged end I4 of the member I2 is keyed a cup member a plug I9 threaded 'into member I0. A the cup I8 and I2 whereby said member is against the packing secured to both the when the member presently to be I8 which has its back against the adjacent end of the spring 2D is compressed between' Vthe adjacent end of the member vheld resiliently I'I. The spring is preferably members I2 and lI8, so that I2 is turned by the means described, there is merely surface friction between the members I8 andfIQ without distorting the spring 20.

The valve proper comprises a tubular stem 2| received in and extending The lower end of the ing a fiber insert 23 seat 8. Above ries a pair of washers cap 26 is screwed to coverthe upper end of tains a spring 21 the upper portion of the lpipe 3 upwardly through the slot I3.

stern carries a head 22 havadapted to close upon the the member I2, the, stem 2| car- 24 spaced bya pin v25. A into the top of the body I0 the stemy 2I and conwhich rests on the upper washer24 and bears upwardly against a shoulder 28 formed in the cap.

The washers yare sorrelated to the top of the member I2 as to permit the spring 21 to theseat ,8.

slight clearanc and the top of 23 is normally of the upper end of seating face of The previous hold the fiber valve head '23 upon In fact, it is preferred to allow a e between the lower washer 24 the member I2 when the member on the seat 8, to ensurevclosing the pipe 5 even after the the member 23 has worn.

ly mentioned Ameans for turning the rocker I2 consists of an arm 3|) secured to the member I2 exteriorly of the nut I6 and formed with a handle 3|. It will be seen that a swinging of the arm in either direction turns the 5 rocker |2 and causes the disks to be lifted, carrying with them the pin 25 and valve stem 2l. This movement of the valve stem uncovers the seat 8 and permits steam to reach the apertures 9 from the upper end of the pipe 5. The spring l 2'!v is compressed by this upward movement of the valve stem and therefore returns the valve to closed position when the handle 3| isreleased.

The arm 30 is also spring held in order to return to normal position when released. j For this l purpose a depending bracket 32 is secured tothe' valve body IIJ and has the lower end of a rod 33 slidably mounted therein. Downward movement of the rod is limited by a shoulder 33' thereon adapted to rest on the bracket.' The upperf end of the rod passes through the arm 30. A barrel 34is adjustabwly threaded on the rod 33 between the bracket 32 and rod 30 and is surrounded and held down by a spring 36 which has itslower end anchored in the bracket as at 31.

Another spring 38 surrounds the rod 33 immediately beneath the arm and bears downwardly upon Va washer 39 which rests on a pin 4|) in the rod. The downward pull on the rod caused by the spring is limited by a pin 4| in the rod above 30 the arm 30. Upward movement of the rod by a downward pull on the handle 3| is limited by a pinV @2 inthe rod below the bracket 32. p A downward pull on the handle 3| thus raises .the rod 33 while opening the valve and also 35 stretches the spring 36. When the handle is released, thespring immediately returns the arm 30 to its normal position. The spring 38 acts asa buffer to take up the inertia of the adjacent end of the arm 30 when the rod 3| comes to rest The valve is intended to berather delicate in the sense that it isdesigned to release small quantities of steam in a pressing machine. The operator can `usually control ingfofV the valve by the pressure he applies to the member 3 l By means of the adjustable depend- -ing bracket- 32, therest angle of the handle may jbe adjusted to compensate for wear between the partsv l2 and 24,`so that a constant relation may be maintained between the amount of valve open- .N ing and the extent of handle displacement.

By means of the spring device and barrel, the spring 36 may be adjusted for the-desired tension. .When the rod 33 is adjusted, the threaded barrel is elevated, thereby expanding the spring 36w4h`i'ch is anchored at 31.

It will also be seen thatthe valve requires no .packing to prevent the escape of steam. The

Hsupporting structure consisting of the pipe 3 and housing I0 is sealed around the valve stem by the One end of the housing coupling I and cap 26.

I0 is entirely sealed by the plug I9. At the other v end, where the stem 5 must pass through the plug I6 for carrying the external arm 30, the

`bearing is sealed by the gasket I'I which is constantly compressed by the spring 20.

Although-a specific-embodiment of the invenk tion has been illustrated and described, it will f be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be -made without de- K. .partingfro-m the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. A valve comprising a rigid supporting structure, a pipe therein and having a valve seat at -cup slidably mounted in one end I bracket and attached upon said rocker member,

, a spring bearing upon one end thereof, a rocker member rotatably.

mounted in said supporting Vstructure on an axis perpendicular to that of said pipe, said member being slotted, a valve stem passing through the slot of said member, a valve head on said stem and adapted to close against said Valve seat, an abutment carried by said valve stem and resting upon said rocker member, whereby turning of said member lifts said stem from said valve seat, a spring bearing upon said abutment and "normally holding said valve head against said valve seat, a pair of plugs in saidsupporting structure at the ends of said rocker member, a of said rocker member, a spring inserted in said end and holding said cup against the adjacent plug, and a gasket inserted between said rocker member and the remaining plug to be compressed by the last named spring.

. 2. A valve comprising a rigid supporting structure, a pipe. therein and having a valve seat at one fend thereof, a rocker member rotatably mounted in said supporting structure on an axis I mallyholding said valve head against said valve seat, an arm secured to said rocker member exteriorly of said supporting structure for turning said member, a bracket depending from said supporting structure, `a rod passing through said to said arm, and a spring connecting said bracket and rod. to be tensioned l n by movement 'of said rod.

40 after having lbeen'pulled down by the spring`36. 4

3. A valve comprising a rigid supporting struca rocker member rotatably perpendicular to that of said pipe, said member being `s1` ttec l,'a valve stem passing through the abutmentcarried by said valve stem and resting whereby turning of said member lifts said stem from said valve seat, arspring bearing upon said abutment and normallyholding said valve head against said valve seat, an arm secured to said rocker member exteriorly of said supporting structure for turning I said member, a bracket depending from said supporting structure, a rod passing through said bracket and attached to said arm, a barrel adjustably-mounted on said rod, and a spring connecting said bracket and barrel to be tensioned by-movement of said rod.

4. A valve comprising a rigid supporting structure, a pipe therein and having a valve seat at vone end thereof, a rocker member rotatably mounted in said supporting structure on an axis perpendicular to that of said pipe, said member being slotted, a Valve stem passing through the slot of said member, a valve head on said stem and adapted to close against said valve seat, an abutment carried by said valve stem and resting upon said rocker member, whereby turning of saidimember lifts said stem from said valve seat,

said abutment and norteriorly of said supporting structure for turning said member, a bracket depending from said supporting structure, a rod passing through said bracket and attached to said arm, a spring connecting said bracket and rod to be tensioned by movement of said rod, and a buffer spring mounted on said rod and bearing against said arm.

5. A Valve comprising a rigid supporting structure, a pipe therein and having a valve seat at one end thereof, a rocker member rotatably mounted in said supporting structure on an axis perpendicular to that of said pipe, said member being slotted, a Valve stem passing through the slot of said member, a valve head on said stem and adapted to close against said Valve seat, an abutment carried by said valve stem and resting upon said rocker member, whereby turning of said member lifts said stem from said valve seat, a spring bearing upon said abutment and normally holding said Valve head against said Valve seat, an arm secured to said rocker member eX- teriorly of said supporting structure for turning said member, a bracket depending from said supporting structure, a rod passing through said bracket and attached to said arm, a barrel adjustabiy mounted on said rod, a spring connecting said bracket and barrel to be tensioned by movement of said rod, and a buffer spring mounted on said rod and bearing against said arm.

HARRY M. GROOMES. 

